Teens in College: 4 Life Skills to Teach Them

There are many practical life skills that children don’t seem to be taught anymore, at least not how they were when we were growing up.

You’ve skimped, saved, and gotten together the money needed for your teen to head off to college, but now you’re worried that the child just isn’t ready. On the academic front, maybe, but practically, not so much, especially if the college is far away from you in a place like California, for example.

There are so many life skills that someone going out on their own needs to know that it’s hard to list them all. In this blog, we’ll give you a few skills we feel are the most important for your kid to know before heading off to college in the fall.

Teach Them How to Make Doctor and Dentist Appointments

So many teens today have no idea how to get to their appointments, much less how to make them on their own. Once your child gets to college, they should really be able to make their own appointments.

For example, if your child needs to go to the dentist in Moreno Valley, they really need to know how to schedule the appointment. This also goes for other medical professionals, so teach your child how to make these appointments before they strike out on their own.

Teach Them to Be Cautious Online

While you’ve probably taught your kid to be careful online, on social media, and about the dangers of posting their information for the world to see, things change when a kid is off on their own.

Social media is here to stay. Not only are there dangers to posting online and on social media sites, but also teach your college-age child that what they post on social media could come back to haunt them.

Many employers search for their potential employees’ social media accounts, and what they find can ruin their chances of getting a good job. Teach your child not to post anything online that he would be embarrassed for a potential employer to see.

Teach Them Time Management Skills

Going to college is the first taste of freedom your student will have. It’s easy to get caught up in the college experience and forget about studying and time management.

Remember, the teen isn’t going to have you looking over her shoulder to remind her to eat right, go to bed on time, or study for that huge Chemistry test coming up. That’s why it’s essential to teach your teen time management skills before they head to the dorms in the fall. They may complain when you’re doing it, but they will thank you when they finish things. There are several time management workbooks and templates online to help you teach this responsibility to your teen.

Teach Them How to Boil Water

You may have already done this, but you’d be surprised how many kids go to college without even the most basic cooking skills. Learning to boil water and a few other simple cooking steps will only help your kid in the end. You don’t want the child to eat out all of the time, so it’s best to teach them the basics before they go.

Other than teaching your child to budget and balance a checkbook, these are some of the most useful life skills they should learn before heading to college in the fall. These skills will help them succeed in those first few months of adjusting to college life and follow them out into the real world as well.

p.s. Here’s a helpful free guide for off-campus living from Redfin.

The guide includes several helpful articles that walk through:

Signing your first lease
How to budget for rent
Deciding between on-campus and off-campus housing
How to rent as an international student
Tips for living with roommates
And much more!

p.p.s. Related posts:

Science Internships for High School Students

4 Tips to Support Your Kid when They Apply to Competitive Art and Design Schools

My Remote Learning Plan for My High School Sophomore

First To College Program at Newton North High School

Applying to Art School: Portfolio

To examine any book more closely at Amazon, please click on image of book.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Follow PragmaticMom’s board Multicultural Books for Kids on Pinterest.

Follow PragmaticMom’s board Children’s Book Activities on Pinterest.

My books:

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Fortune Cookies for Everyone! (Smithsonian): The Surprising Story of the Tasty Treat We Love to Eat

California Eureka Non-Fiction Gold Award
Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación

⭐ Starred review from Kirkus
⭐ Starred review from Publishers Weekly
⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal
Kirkus: The Most Anticipated Children’s Books of Spring 2026

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Many of Your Favorite Foods

California Eureka Non-Fiction Silver Award
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court

ALSC Notable Children’s Book
2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree
Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
2024 Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner
California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025
Recommended Reading for the Social Justice Literature Award 2025 (International Literacy Association)
Pennsylvania Mountain Laurel Book Award Nominee 2026-27
Junior Library Guild Gold Selection